Demeter Biodynamic Oils: Why We Love Them

At Goddess of Spring, we’re proud to offer a selection of Demeter Biodynamic essential oils.  These extra fresh and pure oils are cultivated from a holistic type of farming that seeks to heal our bodies and give back to the earth.

Demeter is an extra prestigious certification within the already rigorous standards of Biodynamic farming. While not all Biodynamic certifications have to be Demeter, Demeter is the oldest and the strictest, encompassing a global family from over 50 different countries.

                                              What Does Biodynamic Even Mean?

Demeter Biodynamic takes the vitality and spirit of organic farming to a whole new level.  It originated in Europe in the 1920’s in answer to the industrialization of farming and the consequent decrease in quality of produce and livestock.  Industrial farms began implementing newly invented chemical fertilizers and other artificial practices which focused on efficiency and high-yield rather than on nutrition and sustainability.  As we’ve come to realize, to our detriment, industrial farming takes a heavy toll on our wellbeing and hurts our planet.

On a healthier, happier note, Demeter Biodynamic farming revolves around the theory that an ideal farm should be construed as a vital, self-sustaining organism, rather than as a lifeless, factory part. A “living” farm should be able to support and regenerate itself with little or no outside influence, preventing the land within it from becoming overused and depleted.  In other words, a Biodynamic farm should mimic nature and be its own ecosystem.

To achieve this status of self-reliance, a Demeter Biodynamic farm must meet a whole list of very specific criteria.  A few stand-out qualities are:

• At least 10% of the farm must be dedicated to wilderness to encourage biodiversity.
• No Artificial Substances: the farm can’t use any synthetic chemicals, pesticides, GMOs or fertilizers.  Period.
• Reducing carbon output: typical farming practices release extra carbon into the atmosphere and create greenhouse gases.  Biodynamic farming seeks to reduce this effect – in fact, carbon reduction is one of its major selling points.
• The entire farm must adhere to Biodynamic values, not just a portion, as standard organic farming requires.

                                                           It’s All About Nature

One of the most compelling aspects of Biodynamic Farming is the way it intends to use nature’s own processes to support not only the farm, but also the environment.  Standard farming practices, such as tilling, release the carbon stored in soil into the air, adding to global warming.  But Biodynamic farms seek to rein in extra carbon production through the very plants that farms create, and the very natural process of photosynthesis.

During photosynthesis, a plant pulls carbon out of the air and turns it into a liquid sugar that the plant then uses to nourish itself.All the sugar the plant doesn’t use gets expelled through its roots into the soil.  This excess sugar feeds the microbiota - all the healthy bacteria and other organisms that live in the soil.  Well-fed microbiota make the soil nutrient-dense, and healthy soil makes healthy plants.  And, naturally, healthy plants have the highest, purest therapeutic properties to offer the human body.

Additionally, Biodynamic farming is so much better for the environment than standard farming.  It preserves and respects nature, reduces greenhouse gases, and cleanses its respective land of chemicals and toxins.  As our world is getting more and more polluted, Biodynamic farming offers a way to obtain plants and not destroy the planet doing it.

                                       Primavera’s Demeter Certified Essential Oils

For an essential oil to be Demeter certified, the plants from which they are composed have to not only be grown and harvested according to Demeter standards, they also have to be processed carefully in order to retain their certification.  The Demeter logo is always present on its certified products – if it’s not there, it’s not certified. Primavera’s Demeter essential oils feature the label on the back of every applicable bottle, so you can be assured of its authenticity (you might have to peel back the tab to find it). 

Goddess of Spring offers Primavera’s Demeter Biodynamic essential oils whenever possible.  Our selection changes according to crop availability. To see which products are currently available, check our Demeter Biodynamic Essential Oils category listing.  At the time of this blog, we offer Demeter Biodynamic Blood Orange, Lavender Fine, Lemon, Lemon Basil, Lavandin Super, Mandarin Red, and Rosemary Verbenon.

Demeter Biodynamic essential oils are rare and precious.  Not only do they come from high-quality, healing plants, they also actively support a truly green lifestyle that can only benefit us all.